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He said he returned home at 2am to find a scene of horror - his wife and two children were lying with their throats cut.

The house had been partially ransacked and the safe had been opened, but without any sign of force.

Nor was there evidence of forced entry to the villa, police said.

Detectives were immediately suspicious of Lissi. Under questioning, he finally broke down on Monday, allegedly confessing to the murders.

Police claim he said that before leaving home, he had made love to his wife on the sofa of their living room while the children slept.

But he then suddenly attacked her, hitting her repeatedly before stabbing her to death.

He then climbed the stairs and knifed to death his son and daughter.

Afterwards he washed off the blood, got dressed and drove to the pub, tossing the murder weapon - a kitchen knife - down a drain on his way.

Friends told police that he had been "completely calm", and had cracked jokes and cheered when Italy won the match.

After being arrested, he asked that he be given the "maximum sentence" for the crime, according to a prosecutor, Gustavo Cioppa.

At the IT company where Lissi worked, colleagues said they were "speechless" and "staggered" when they heard about the triple murder.

A neighbour of the family told the Ansa news agency: "It seems impossible, he was so affectionate as a father. He told me just a few days ago that he was going to put a paddling pool in the garden for the kids."